"inception of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross in 1993. Conspicuous Gallantry Medal The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM) was, until 1993, a British military decoration for gallantry in action for petty officers and seaman of the Royal Navy, including Warrant Officers and other ranks of the Royal Marines. It was formerly awarded to personnel of other Commonwealth countries. In 1943 a Royal Air Force version was created for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy in the air. The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was the second level bravery award for ratings of the Royal Navy, ranking below the Victoria Cross and, after its"
"Victoria in 1857, two thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. These investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace. The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War. Since then, the medal has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. Only 15 medals, 11 to members of the British Army, and four to the Australian Army, have been awarded since the Second World War. The traditional explanation of the source of the metal from which the medals are struck is that it derives"
"Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for gallantry ""in the presence of the enemy"" to members of the British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen"
"Conspicuous Gallantry Cross The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) is a second level military decoration of the British Armed Forces. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system to remove distinctions of rank in the awarding of gallantry decorations. The Victoria Cross is the only higher combat gallantry award presented by the United Kingdom. The CGC was instituted in the aftermath of the 1993 review of the honours system. As part of the drive to remove distinctions of rank in awards for bravery, the CGC replaced both the Distinguished Conduct"
"bar, which consists of a crimson ribbon with a miniature bronze Victoria Cross at its centre. Should an individual receive multiple awards of the Victoria Cross, additional bronze medal bars are added to the ribbon and further miniatures are placed evenly on the ribbon bar, reflecting the number of crosses the wearer has earned. Victoria Cross (Canada) The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award of the United Kingdom honours system. It was previously awarded to Canada and other Commonwealth countries, most of which including Canada have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. Today, the"
"Maha Vir Chakra The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) (literally ""great warrior medal"") is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the British Distinguished Service Order (DSO). The medal may be awarded posthumously. The medal is made of standard silver and is circular in shape. Embossed on the obverse is a five pointed heraldic star with circular center-piece bearing the gilded state emblem of India in the center. The words ""Mahavira"
"Victoria Cross (Canada) The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award of the United Kingdom honours system. It was previously awarded to Canada and other Commonwealth countries, most of which including Canada have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. Today, the Victoria Cross (), created in 1993 and named in honour of the British Victoria Cross is the highest award within the Canadian honours system, taking precedence over all other orders, decorations, and medals. It is awarded by either the Canadian monarch or his or her viceregal representative, the Governor General of Canada, to any"
"from Russian cannon captured at the Siege of Sevastopol. However, research has suggested another origin for the material. Historian John Glanfield has established that the metal for most of the medals made since December 1914 came from two Chinese cannon, and that there is no evidence of Russian origin. Owing to its rarity, the VC is highly prized and the medal has fetched over £400,000 at auction. A number of public and private collections are devoted to the Victoria Cross. The private collection of Lord Ashcroft, amassed since 1986, contains over one-tenth of all VCs awarded. Following a 2008 donation"
"Medal were expanded to include non-citizens of the Union for acts of gallantry within the Union or while saving or endeavouring to save the lives of citizens of the Union elsewhere. In the British order of precedence, the Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery, Gold ranks as a second level decoration, equivalent to the George Medal. It is preceded by the Venerable Order of Saint John and succeeded by the Distinguished Conduct Medal. In South Africa, the medal is ranked as a first level decoration and, despite its status, it has no post-nominal letters. It is preceded by"
"Of the 100 medals awarded to Australians (96 VCs, and 4 VCs for Australia), this collection contains around 70 medals, including 3 medals awarded to British soldiers (Grady, 1854; Holbrook, 1914; and Whirlpool, 1858), and 3 of the VCs for Australia (Donaldson, 2008; Keighran, 2010; and Roberts-Smith, 2010). Museums with holdings of ten or more VCs include: In 2004 a national Victoria Cross and George Cross memorial was installed in Westminster Abbey close to the tomb of the Unknown Warrior. Westminster Abbey is a living monument to British history in that it contains monuments and memorials to central figures in"
"Maha Vir Chakra, the first two being awarded in 1965. To date, there are six known awards of a first bar: No second bars have been awarded. Award of the decoration carries with it the right to use M.V.C. as a postnominal abbreviation. The Mahavir Chakra awardees include: Maha Vir Chakra The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) (literally ""great warrior medal"") is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the British"
"medals that are given following their being awarded the Victoria Cross or the George Cross. John Cruickshank John Alexander Cruickshank, VC (born 20 May 1920) is a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Cruickshank was awarded the VC for sinking a German U-boat and then, despite serious injuries, safely landing his aircraft. He is the last living recipient to have been awarded the VC during the Second World War. Born on 20 May 1920 in Aberdeen, Scotland, Cruickshank was"
"The CGC is tri-service and is awarded to all ranks. It is second only to the Victoria Cross for bravery in action. The CGM had also been awarded by Commonwealth countries but by 1990's most, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, had established their own honours systems and no longer recommended British honours. Apart from the ribbon, the medals awarded for service afloat and for flying are identical. The medal is circular, silver, in diameter with the following design: The medal was awarded with one of five obverses: Between 1855 and 1993 a total of 369 medals and one second"
"Parama Weera Vibhushanaya medal. Three Commonwealth realms—Australia, Canada and New Zealand—have each introduced their own decorations for gallantry and bravery, replacing British decorations such as the Victoria Cross with their own. The only Commonwealth countries that still can recommend the VC are the small nations, none of whose forces have ever been awarded the VC, that still participate in the British honours system. With effect from 6 April 1952, when the Union of South Africa instituted its own range of military decorations and medals, these new awards took precedence before all earlier British decorations and medals awarded to South Africans,"
"27 second award bars. The GM is a circular silver medal in diameter, with the ribbon suspended from a ring. It has the following design.<br> The obverse depicts the crowned effigy of the reigning monarch. To date, there have been four types: The reverse shows St. George on horseback slaying the dragon on the coast of England, with the legend around the top edge of the medal.<br>The ribbon is wide, crimson with five narrow blue stripes. The blue colour is taken from the George Cross ribbon. Worn on the left chest by men, women not in uniform wear the medal"
"indicate how many times a specific medal was awarded with the ""V"" such that the silver and gold ""V"" device would be used to denote second and third awards with the ""V"" and a fourth, fifth, and sixth awarding with the ""V"" to be issued with a bronze, silver, and gold ""V"" device atop a wreath. On 21 December 2016, the ""V"" device ceased being authorized for Achievement Medals. Retroactive to January 2016, the ""V"" device ceased being authorized for the Legion of Merit, being replaced by the ""C"" device. Currently, the following decorations of the United States Armed Forces"
"takes precedence after the Royal Naval Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and before the Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. With effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals which were applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after"
"Royal Victorian Medal The Royal Victorian Medal (RVM) is a decoration established by Queen Victoria in April 1896. On 14 May 1912, King George V further confirmed the institution of the medal with an additional royal warrant. A part of the Royal Victorian Order, it is a reward for personal service to the Sovereign or the royal family, and is the personal gift of the sovereign. Although the Medal is related to the Royal Victorian Order, it differs in appearance and in the way it is worn. The medal has three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold (silver gilt). Bars may"
"the Natal Native Rebellion Medal takes precedence after the Tibet Medal and before the India General Service Medal (1909). With effect from 6 April, 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African orders, decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after that date. Of the official British campaign medals which were"
"effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older South African and British decorations and medals applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African orders, decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after that date. In the order of wear of military honours, it takes precedence after the Air Force Cross. The medal was struck in silver and is a"
"Medal (Army) and the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Naval and Air) as second level awards to other ranks and ratings. The CGC also replaced the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), in its role as an award to officers for gallantry. The DSO was retained as an award for outstanding leadership. The CGC now serves as the second level award for gallantry for all ranks across the whole armed forces. The CGC, which may be awarded posthumously, is awarded ""in recognition of an act or acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy"". All ranks of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines,"
"time. In the order of wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, the Air Efficiency Award takes precedence after the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Medal and before the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal. With effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals which were applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African decorations"
"(Natal) ranks on par with the United Kingdom's Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military). It takes precedence after the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal and before the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830). With effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took"
"the order of wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, but are all grouped together as taking precedence after the Queen's Medal for Chiefs and before the Polar Medals, in order of the date of the campaign for which awarded. In the order of wear of British campaign medals, the Queen's South Africa Medal takes precedence after the East and Central Africa Medal and before the Queen's Mediterranean Medal. The British order of precedence of the Second Boer War campaign medals is as follows: Even though the Republican awards for the Second Boer War, the"
"wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848) ranks on par with the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830) that it replaced. It takes precedence after the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) and before the Medal for Meritorious Service (Royal Navy 1918-1928). The medal was struck in silver and is a disk, in diameter, slightly larger than the earlier ""anchor type"" medal of 1830, which is in diameter. Obverse<br> The obverse of the medal shows the effigy of the reigning monarch. Since"
"Param Vir Chakra The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime. The PVC is equivalent to the Medal of Honor in the United States and the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom. Only 21 soldiers have received this award to date. The history of present-day Indian gallantry awards can be traced back to the rule of the East India Company, when the first formal award was instituted by Lord William Bentinck in 1834 as the Order of Merit, later renamed the Indian Order of Merit in 1902. During the"
"precedence after the Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal and before the Territorial Efficiency Medal. With effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals which were applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after that date. Of the official British medals which were applicable to South Africans,"
"at an auction in 1972 but they were sold by his family after his death in 1976. However, in 1996 the Victoria Cross was discovered to be the original rather than a copy after its metallic characteristics were compared with the bronze ingot from which all Victoria Crosses are cast. The medal was subsequently acquired by Lord Ashcroft, owner of the world's largest collection of VCs, and is on display at the Imperial War Museum, London. Chard was commemorated by the South African military with the John Chard Decoration and the John Chard Medal which were awarded to members of"
"with the United Kingdom's Meritorious Service Medal. It takes precedence after Queen Elizabeth II's Long and Faithful Service Medal and before the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal. With effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African orders, decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after that date. Of"
"the British Commonwealth, and Monarch of India"". This version is inscribed ""GEORGIVS VI DEI: GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX FID: DEF:"" around the perimeter, reading from a cross at the eight o'clock position. The first Queen Elizabeth II version appeared after she succeeded to the throne on 6 February 1952. The medal shows a crowned effigy of the Queen, facing right, and is inscribed ""ELIZABETH II D: G: BR: OMN: REGINA F: D:"", reading around from the top. The effigy was designed by sculptor Cecil Thomas OBE and was used on a number of medals. After her Coronation on 2 June"
"British Empire. The award of the medal was discontinued in the United Kingdom in 1966, when the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, composed of civilian volunteers, was merged with the Royal Naval Reserve, composed of Merchant Navy seamen. It was superseded by its identical sister medal, the Royal Naval Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. The New Zealand version, the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, is still being awarded. The Volunteer Long Service Medal was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force."
"older British decorations and medals which were applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after that date. Of the official British medals which were applicable to South Africans, the Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve takes precedence as shown. The decoration is an oval skeletal design and was struck in silver, with parts of the obverse in silver-gilt. The badge is high to the top of the"
"the British Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the British Armed Forces. However, Hancocks, the manufacturer, confirms that the metal is Chinese, not Russian, bronze. The cannons used are in the Firepower Museum in Woolwich and are clearly Chinese. There would be no reason why Chinese cannon would be in Sevastopol in the 1850s and it is likely that the VC guns were, in fact, British trophies from the China war in the 1840s held in the Woolwich repository. Though it had been suggested that the VCs should be made from Sevastopol cannons, it seems that in practice,"